Rick Steves travel guides and their suckage

my grandparents swear by him. he has made travel fun and bland for them

Bland is the perfect word. His books are lowest common denominator writ large.

It's for the poors. It's their first time and they don't know any better.

Will never forget the scene in one of his shows where he's washing his underwear in the sink of his budget hotel room.

My neighbor, who is an educated 50 year old teacher, and her 75 year old mom just got back from their first trip to the UK and they did a Rick Steve’s tour. They had a great time and the tour made it easy for them to explore another culture. I wouldn’t do a Rick Steve’s tour, it’s not how I travel, but who am I to judge?

I remember one year, my mother-in-law sent us either a DVD or a guidebook of his, A Comprehensive Guide to Europe or some such shit, and both my partner and I just looked at each other and burst into laughter. At least our dog had fun with it for a couple of days before he destroyed it.

Ewwww, R4.

There is no travel guide that's perfect for everyone: the reason there are so many is because they appeal to different audiences.

Rick Steves is aimed at bourgeois tourists who are traveling with some intellectual curiosity about where they're visiting but who have not been to the place before. Let's Go and Lonely Planet are for budget travelers in their 20s and 30s. Blue Guides are for very experienced travelers with some money.

[quote] Rick Steves is aimed at bourgeois tourists who are traveling with some intellectual curiosity about where they're visiting but who have not been to the place before.

I'd say Steves is aimed at the aggressively middlebrow crowd, those who take European river cruises, for instance, and are uncomfortable venturing off the beaten track. Nothing particularly intellectual about his TV show or guidebooks.

yes, white midwesterners.

Steves is apparently a huge stoner. Puts a different, normcore spin on his schtick.

Why, oh why, do the wrong people travel and the right people stay back home?

The value in his books is if you are traveling on your own, he has lots of detailed information about how not to wait in line (i.e. where to get advanced tickets say to the Vatican or the Uffizzi, where tp get the bus to....etc., Also he has good audio guides to museums included in the audiobook versions of his guides. It's a while back, but I spent a month in Florence on my own, and bought 5 different guidebooks--his were the best for basic practical details. He also recommends restaurants that are good for the average person's budget and decent hotels. His books are much more useful than Frommer's or Fodor's. Lonely Planet are better for Asia or Latin America (RS doesn't even go to those places if I recall), the Rough Guides are good for younger people.

His TV shows are awful in that he is incredibly smarmy and it's hard to watch him for more than 5 minutes, but both his books and his tours really serve his middle-aged, non adventure travel crowd very well. I would separate his sticky sweet TV manner from his very useful products.

[quote]...both my partner and I just looked at each other and burst into laughter.

Do you live in a sitcom? You know that nobody likes either of you, right?

Someone left behind his European guidebook at the a hostel I was staying at; this was years and years ago. It was probably his first one since no one had ever heard of him. Of course, a roomful of veteran backpackers who'd been traveling for months, we were pretty sneery reading his advice and recommendations but he did have a good one re booking a bed at your next destination. Back then, it was all hit or miss. Travelers didn't bother with booking, just took our chances and yes, there'd be times when you showed up and there was no space left.

But now you can travel with your phone and book online so you can decide months in advance where you will spend every night. That's not traveling, that's following an itinerary.

Fun fact: Rick Steves is from Barstow, California. If you don't know about Barstow, check out the DL thread on it.

[quote] Do you live in a sitcom? You know that nobody likes either of you, right?

Ok, Mr. Flyover. If you don't see anything funny that she would send *that* to a couple that had been all over the world including some pretty out there places (Bhutan, Faroe Islands, for example) than you're truly dumb.

Christ on a cracker....you queens even get bitchy about a frigging travel book :(

He's an uninformed idiot who is often wrong. That said, he kept Americans going to Europe when high prices should have sent them to the rest of the world. And it took a surprising bit of courage for him to do a series of shows on Iran.

R17, someone gave you a gift and that's how you act? You're an asshole. Your latest post just proves that you're even more pretentious than I thought. Like I said before, nobody likes you.

I cannot, CANNOT listen to his voice....I don't even care enough to google him....he IS gay? What's his deal?

On his TV show the camera always captures a few gratuitous shots of sexy young local girls walking by in clingy tank tops, shorts, bare legs.....

Not gay--married for many years and has had girlfriend after divorce for number of years (cute looking Latina in the photo). I agree--he has gay voice. It happens.

[quote]On his TV show the camera always captures a few gratuitous shots of sexy young local girls walking by in clingy tank tops, shorts, bare legs.....

He strikes me as a major perv.

He is a huge stoner and a vocal proponent of cannabis legalization. I think his politics are also pretty leftish. Like others I was shocked to learn that he is, apparently, straight.

He does always seem like a Lutheran minister who is secretly pervy.

[quote]He does always seem like a Lutheran minister who is secretly pervy.

I think paying for a 13yo boys forced genital mutilation and filming it is OVERTLY pervy.

He probably kept the foreskin for himself.

Wow, the foreskin troll really can find his way into every topic, huh? Calling circumcision genital mutilation is offensive to the millions of girls in this world who are actually mutilated genitally, asshole.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

OFF OFF OFF OFF OFF OFF OFF topic..... creep

Listen prick, the topic is fucking Rick Steves. Fucking Rick Steves PAID FOR and filmed FOR PROFIT a 13yo boy getting genitally TORUTRED.

Whether it's ritual clitoral "nicks" or "sunnets' it's ALL 8th century barbaric BULLSHIT.

I've used a couple of the walking tours on his app. They're free and get the job done. Most European cities offer free walking tours, but there are times when it's nicer to do it on your own.

Can't everyone picture R31 frantically typing away, red-faced with rage and banging on the cap lock key over and over? Of course, that's between watching the video over and over of some boy getting a ritual tiny snip that will help prevent him from getting penile cancer and lessen his chance of passing HIV onto his future partners.

As for Rick Steves trips, I've always thought that those kind of tours would be good introductions to places and then you can pick your favorites and go back on your own later to explore more. All of those tours are basically introductions to the various countries, not meant to be in-depth.

Rick Steves has also had a hand in ruining several destinations that used to be delightful. The Cinque Terre, which he won’t shut up about, comes to mind. Crowds there now are horrific. He’s not the only reason, but he’s a big one.

R23=gullible idiot. Straights would never name their company Back Door Productions.

Any devoted traveler could read his guides and pick out the useful information. Most seasoned travelers crib from several sources, no? His are written to cover a wide audience, and there is lots of good information included. His popularity has meant that hidden gems he's written about get more traffic these days, but that's not entirely his fault, is it? Cinque Terre became a tourist destination when the locals decided to start pushing it as one in the 1970s. People on cruise ship excursions are a bigger source of the influx these days, same as Venice.

He is as gay as gay could be. I don’t care how many wives or girlfriends he’s had.

I have patience for "famous” fags who cling to the closet.

And he’s irritating.

He sounds like most people from the West Coast to me. He has a son who is getting into the travel business as well.

[quote]His popularity has meant that hidden gems he's written about get more traffic these days, but that's not entirely his fault, is it?

I know that, R36. Did you miss the part where I said he’s not the only reason?

Not every comment is directed to you, R34. You might have a better time here if you realize that sooner rather than later.

Honestly, I enjoy traveling as he outlines it in his guides. The TV show is pretty dumb, but the books have saved me time, money, and led me to some places I won't forget (for good reasons).

Saving money also makes it possible to travel more and more luxuriously when I choose.

HIs suggestions are strictly for flyovers who were fanny packs, eat at the Olive Garden and stay at Holiday Inn.

He's not for glamorous jet-setters like you and me.

The anti-circ cunts need to have their heads snipped. Both heads.

Get out of Asbury, anti-circ trolls!

What comes after "flyovers" in the progression from fanny packs?

He is not strictly focused on budget travel, either. His general guides give a range of options. Again, it's info. Use it to confirm or deny what else you can find out.

I think he is the main reason for the popularity of The Cinque Terre. Mainly popular with Italian tourists before he started writing about it is what I've read. But if you go in the lowish season (like May) and stay in a nearby town either south or north of the "5 lands" it's still easy and nice to visit--there is a train that goes between the towns or a ferry that costs more but most be a great experience. The Ligurian coast in general is very beautiful and quite accessible by train from say Florence to the east or Genoa to the north (poor Genoa--city of the recent bridge crash).

I love his tourist dweeb schtick. I also find something very sexy about his shameless embrace of the belted khaki.

I'm a poor gay flyover. I watched his entire European DVD set all 100 episodes with my 70something parents. We've never been to Europe and never will be. We really like his show especially the Christmas episodes.

All of Italy is overrun by cruise ship tourists. Bigger ships and more of them. Some of them may also be following Rick Steves guidebooks, but most of that traffic is coming on organized excursions from ships that dock at La Spezia.

R48 Oh, you could afford the tote bag. Look who's putting on airs...

He is so bland he makes me want to un-travel the travel I've traveled.

You pretentious queens on here are too much.

Just like a friend of mine who always MUST fly first class even if the flight only separates the first four seats on the plane first class and pulls a curtain for the separation.

R48

What makes you so certain that you'll never go to Europe?

This is a real picture of a cruise ship in port in Venice. They have now banned these monstrosities.

While those monster cruise ships have been banned from docking at the city center, they are just being re-directed to a mainland port not much further away. Those passengers will still be flooding St Mark's on a daily basis. I was in Venice last summer for about a week. Every local advised the same thing Rick Steves did in his book: plan to see stuff outside St Mark's from mid-morning to mid-afternoon. And, of course, it was true. The major sights and cities of Italy are basically theme parks these days.

I envy Steves in the sense that he has found a way to make money off his passion. For those of us stuck in miserable jobs, living for our next vacation and ultimate retirement, I wish I could be like him, paying the bills while doing something he loves.

Having said that, I enjoy reading his books but would never travel like him. He's too budget-minded for me. But for we middle-aged white guys who worry about looking like the Ugly American amongst all the chic Europeans, he gives us hope with his I-don't-care-what-I-look-like-I'm loving-this-gelato attitude.

At 61, I've been to many places over the last 40 years so I'm pretty comfortable in my ability to figure out how to deal with whatever gets thrown at me during a trip, but his target market is Americans who are terrified of getting lost in a foreign country. If he's convinced those people to get out of their comfort zone and take a trip to Italy, even if it's just to ride in a gondola and take a selfie with David's ass in the background before heading back to the Hilton (hi Dad, I'm talking about you), more power to him

[quote]The major sights and cities of Italy are basically theme parks these days.

This is why, more and more, I like to travel in the off season when I can. I’m willing to put up with crappy weather and limited opening hours in exchange for not being trampled to death by the herds. And it’s cheaper too.

He used to be a very sexy hippie. Scroll down to the 4th pic.

"Very sexy" is a bit of a stretch, but, yes, he was once young.

Dear God, he's from Barstow? No wonder he tries to get as far away as he can. It's a hellhole.

He's got a very earnest kind of hotness.

R61 Or rather, his appeal is in his earnest and unapologetic kind of nerdiness.

He has the same demeanor as any other tour guide, really. Passion for the subject & wants you to enjoy the trip so you'll give good feedback to others, which brings more business. He is an entrepreneur. I think he's good at what he does, and he has a certain PBS aesthetic that has wide-ranging appeal. Going to PBS with a travel show was probably his smartest career move.

He will tell you that he was a conservative ( read republican) type before he started traveling - the world opened his mind and heart - I hope it does the same for his admirerers, travelers, followers.. his stuff is pretty middle class, but at least it is stuff which many would not ever see if not for his business.

If you've done indie backpacker travel on your own, there isn't much to his books or shows, other than picking up the odd tipfor saving a little money or avoiding hassles.

OTOH, he's probably liberated a lot of people from the rigidity of package tourism and his underlying message is to live like a locla which is pretty much the indie ethos.

Perillo Tours is the DLer's choice.

r48 Awww ... I'll take you to Europe, sweetie! All it will cost you is your dignity.

His travel guides may or may not be helpful ... I've never read one. But his TV show is not for travelers -- it's for people who never leave their homes (either because they don't want to or can't afford to) and who want to live vicariously through him.

R58: Good lord, if the first picture is him pawing through racks of other people's dirty dishes in search of another bread roll and this is illustrative of his suggested mode of travel or one of his money-saving tips, I'll be sticking with Cunard and the Crillon and QF's #1 and 2, thankyouverymuch.

It's not a matter of gay snobbery put rather a traveller's health. What's next, tips on the best dumpster diving on or just off the Via Veneto?

That friendly, engaged demeanor he displays on the show seems to be a little misleading. I was skating at Oak's Park in PDX years ago and he was there watching with a group of people and he acted like a total BITCH.

No one is sweetness and light 24/7. You can see him get annoyed in some of the outtake clips. The fact that he smokes weed tells you that he's pretty chill on the whole.

[quote]Will never forget the scene in one of his shows where he's washing his underwear in the sink of his budget hotel room.

[quote]Ewwww, [R4].

Another Ewww episode is when he goes to Germany. He's bathing in a spa nude and then he decides to get a massage. He makes a big deal out of at this particular spa they give you a huge slap on the ass at the end. Didn't need to see that. I think it might even be one of the episodes where he has his wife and children on the program.

Thank you, R42....thank you for acknowledging that I too am a glamorous jet-setter.

[quote]Good lord, if the first picture is him pawing through racks of other people's dirty dishes in search of another bread roll and this is illustrative of his suggested mode of travel or one of his money-saving tips, I'll be sticking with Cunard and the Crillon and QF's #1 and 2, thankyouverymuch.

There is a middle ground.

I love being pampered as much as the next person, (my favorite hotel in the world is the Oriental in Bangkok), but after a few days of that, you get sick of hanging around spoiled, rich tourists and bored, drunk business travelers, whose manners, incidentally, are frequently atrocious.

Every time I've fallen for some glossy magazine's 'The Fifty Best Restaurants in the World' recommendation, I've left feeling unsatisfied and a lot poorer. Most of my memorable meals have been in small, local places, even some (like in Japan) where there is no English menu. I just smile and point and what someone else is having. I do like that Steves urges people to get off the beaten track and explore local spots.

One of his early guidebooks, 'Mona Winks', was an attempt to demystify the great museums of Europe which many Americans find intimidating, overwhelming, and frankly stuffy. Keep in mind, he got his start before you could download an audio tour on your phone or find restaurant recommendations on Trip Advisor. To those of us who started traveling while in our 20s, in the 1970s and '80s, he was a great alternative to those awful If-It's-Tuesday-It-Must-Be-Belgium tours our parents took.

Did the underwear have skid marks?

I don't' know where everyone is getting that he's solely focused on budget travel because that is just not true. Maybe some of his early guides? The ones I've read have been relatively recent and they presented a range of options. He does preach the need to pack light, which is excellent advice. I did two weeks in Italy with just a carry-on bag, and I didn't need to wash my drawers in the sink.

[quote]Did the underwear have skid marks?

Yes, but they weren't his.

Begging week on PBS so he's been all over the airwaves

OP, why are you so negative? Why would you start a thread just trashing something? I will never understand, and I've been on Datalounge for nearly 20 years, why people have such rage issues?

This isn't about Rick Steves, it's about your sad, lowly, pathetic life.

Oh, and you're a snob, too.

Whenever arick’s TV show is on, why do I feel like he’s s huge sex addict and goes off with a local street performer or whoever he is interviewing after the video is finished? “Kristios here is a local Zagreb acrobat who used to be a gymnast. I’m enjoying this fresh kielbasa sausage he makes fresh and sells from his apartment. See you next time...after I sample his home made dumplings.” Am I wrong? He seems like it.

American living in Europe...

Rick Steves isn’t for me, but a Frau-ish co-worker (who I really liked) used to go on some interesting weekend trips with her husband based on his books. I think he’s geared toward fundamentally non-adventurous types who just want to dip their toe in the pool when it comes to experiencing new cuitures

[quote]I will never understand, and I've been on Datalounge for nearly 20 years, why people have such rage issues?

This isn't about Rick Steves, it's about your sad, lowly, pathetic life.

I will never understand why people click on threads that bother them instead of using the ignore button.

^ The second part of R82 hould have been a quote too. Sorry, formatting fail.

He is a Lutheran, r27. How did you know? And somewhat religious, along with being a lefty stoner.

Has Rick Steves ever, in his four decades of travel, learned any of the languages of the countries he visits? I mean beyond crudely pronounced basic phrases.

r11 yes he is. Did you see the outtakes video he did? He gets pretty wordy and tries to rhyme most of the time but he's got someone to reel that back before it makes it to the official travel videos. And he's laughing throughout a lot of it. I think it would be fun to get stoned with Rick and get lost somewhere in Europe and laugh the whole time. So far, all I've got his his backpack...and i't not made of hemp :-(

His voice calls to mind a mincing choreographer in a '30s musical: "OK, girls, on your toesies!" His awful fashion sense persuades me that he's just an effeminate heterosexual, however.

An effeminate hetrosexual that knows his way around Europe and smokes ganja? Sounds like a great travel partner to me.

Travel as a Political Act

Steve, the gut!